So playing as black, at least at my ratting, whenever I play the Sicilian I keep on getting a Smith-Morra gambit with 2… cxd4 3. Qxd4, now I’m pretty sure this is good for me but I don’t like that white gets a really easy position. Is there any tricks or offbeat approaches to this variation that I can use.
What do you mean White gets a “really easy position”? 3… Nc6 4. Qe3/d1 e6 and you can play a Kan, Taimanov, or Classical, all up a tempo.
What do you play against the open
well white wants to sacrifice a tempo to turn the Sicilian into a Italian game or whatever their used to, That’s what I meant by easy game, I just want to find a good method to counter it that dosnt lead to a symmetrical E4 opening.
well white wants to sacrifice a tempo to turn the Sicilian into a Italian game or whatever their used to, That’s what I meant by easy game, I just want to find a good method to counter it that dosnt lead to a symmetrical E4 opening.
Something like this?
I’ve seen this line once:
https://www.chess.com/game/live/72225766545
Whatever you play against the open, do that a tempo up
Whatever you play against the open, do that a tempo up
Why wouldn’t you play Nc6 hitting the queen with tempo? That’s the first thing that pops to my eye.
G6 or Nf6 wouldn’t work in this position; that rules out Dragon and Nimzo players.
d6 is opening the door to tactics from king checks.
True, my advice only works if you play the taimonov or kan
Whatever you play against the open, do that a tempo up
Why wouldn’t you play Nc6 hitting the queen with tempo? That’s the first thing that pops to my eye.
G6 or Nf6 wouldn’t work in this position; that rules out Dragon and Nimzo players.
d6 is opening the door to tactics from king checks.
Why on earth 3...Nf6 "wouldn't work"? It looks absolutely fine to me.
And the only drawback of 3...d6 I can think of is 4.c4, not some random "patzer sees check, patzer gives check" strategy.
Whatever you play against the open, do that a tempo up
Why wouldn’t you play Nc6 hitting the queen with tempo? That’s the first thing that pops to my eye.
G6 or Nf6 wouldn’t work in this position; that rules out Dragon and Nimzo players.
d6 is opening the door to tactics from king checks.
Why on earth 3...Nf6 "wouldn't work"? It looks absolutely fine to me.
And the only drawback of 3...d6 I can think of is 4.c4, not some random "patzer sees check, patzer gives check" strategy.
Where does the knight go after e5?
Whatever you play against the open, do that a tempo up
Why wouldn’t you play Nc6 hitting the queen with tempo? That’s the first thing that pops to my eye.
G6 or Nf6 wouldn’t work in this position; that rules out Dragon and Nimzo players.
d6 is opening the door to tactics from king checks.
Why on earth 3...Nf6 "wouldn't work"? It looks absolutely fine to me.
And the only drawback of 3...d6 I can think of is 4.c4, not some random "patzer sees check, patzer gives check" strategy.
Where does the knight go after e5?
4.e5? blunders the pawn. Since you consider yourself strong enough to offer advice, I guess you will find out how.
Yeah, 3… Nf6 4. e5 gives Black a serious lead in development.
Now in the Chekhover, which we discussed lines in in a forum about half a year to a year ago, after 4… Nf6 5. e5!? Nc6 6. Bb5 Qa5+ 7. Nc3 Qxb5 8. Nxb5 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 dxe5 10. Nc7+ Kd7 11. Nxa8 exd4 12. Bf4 there’s still play to be had, with winning chances for both sides, but it is a relatively equal position. White is up a rook for a piece and a pawn, a great trade, but the knight on a8 needs to be extracted and Black’s bishop pair are going to dominate the open board.
Yeah, 3… Nf6 4. e5 gives Black a serious lead in development.
Huh? It gives Black a completely free pawn.
Huh? It gives Black a completely free pawn.
Nope
It doesn't give away a free pawn, but it puts white in a much worse position that is on the verge of being losing
Yeah, 3… Nf6 4. e5 gives Black a serious lead in development.
Huh? It gives Black a completely free pawn.
We’re talking about the same board, right? Looks like this?
Yeah, 3… Nf6 4. e5 gives Black a serious lead in development.
Huh? It gives Black a completely free pawn.
We’re talking about the same board, right? Looks like this?
I wouldnt reccomend 6... Ne4 7... d5 because en passant is gonna be an issue. instead go 7... f5 because 8. exf6 Qxf6 threatens a trapped rook and now white cant capture your knight.
9. Bc3 Nxc3 10. Nxc3 now black needs a way to punish white castling and or trade queens 10... b6 or Be7 look reasonable
Yeah, 3… Nf6 4. e5 gives Black a serious lead in development.
Huh? It gives Black a completely free pawn.
We’re talking about the same board, right? Looks like this?
I wouldnt reccomend 6... Ne4 7... d5 because en passant is gonna be an issue. instead go 7... f5 because 8. exf6 Qxf6 threatens a trapped rook and now white cant capture your knight.
9. Bc3 Nxc3 10. Nxc3 now black needs a way to punish white castling and or trade queens 10... b6 or Be7 look reasonable
I’m not so sure about f5. I’d prefer e5, but f5 is presumably playable. Ironically, I think White CAN take the knight, but it was definitely a FUN gambit to puzzle out. I spent about two and a half hours working through lines to see if I could make it work.
Yeah, 3… Nf6 4. e5 gives Black a serious lead in development.
Huh? It gives Black a completely free pawn.
We’re talking about the same board, right? Looks like this?
5...e6 doesn't look bad at all, but what's wrong with 5...Ne4 with Qa5+/Qxe5 to follow?
Yeah, 3… Nf6 4. e5 gives Black a serious lead in development.
Huh? It gives Black a completely free pawn.
We’re talking about the same board, right? Looks like this?
5...e6 doesn't look bad at all, but what's wrong with 5...Ne4 with Qa5+/Qxe5 to follow?
*opens mouth, finger raised*
*closes mouth and slowly lowers finger*
You know, that’s a great question. Maybe Qe3 Qa5+ Bd2 Qxe5 Nf3 Qe6/f5/d5 Bd3 Nf6 Nc3 after which White actually gets high quality gambit level development.
So playing as black, at least at my ratting, whenever I play the Sicilian I keep on getting a Smith-Morra gambit with 2… cxd4 3. Qxd4, now I’m pretty sure this is good for me but I don’t like that white gets a really easy position. Is there any tricks or offbeat approaches to this variation that I can use.